Ron Brand
Encyclopedia
Ronald George Brand is a former Major League Baseball
catcher
, and an original member of the Montreal Expos
.
as an amateur free agent
, and spent five seasons in their farm system before debuting with the big league club in . He hit his first major league home run
on June 20, off Denny Lemaster
of the Milwaukee Braves. After spending all of in the minors, Brand was selected by the Houston Colt .45s in the 1964 rule 5 draft.
dubbed the Astrodome (named in honor of Houston's importance to the country's space program). To match with the meaning of the name, the Colt .45s were renamed the Astros.
John Bateman was the opening day starting catcher in 1965, however, he soon lost his starting job to Brand. On August 18, Brand hit his second home run of the season, and the third of his career. He never hit another major league home run.
In , Bateman won back the starting catcher job, and Brand became the back-up. They split catching duties pretty evenly in , but Brand began the season with the Astros' Pacific Coast League
triple A affiliate, the Oklahoma City 89ers, and only appeared in 29 games behind the plate for the Astros.
as the sixth overall pick in the 1968 Major League Baseball expansion draft
; 52 picks later, the Expos selected Brand, and the two resumed their platoon in Montreal
.
This platoon only lasted one season as in Brand assumed more of a utility infielder
role. In , Brand only caught two innings, however, made 22 appearances at shortstop
. He spent all of with the Expos' triple A affiliate, the Peninsula Whips, and was released at the end of the season. He joined the Los Angeles Dodgers
in , and spent the entire season in Bakersfield, California
as player/manager of their California League
affiliate before retiring.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
, and an original member of the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Brand originally signed with the Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
as an amateur free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
, and spent five seasons in their farm system before debuting with the big league club in . He hit his first major league home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
on June 20, off Denny Lemaster
Denny Lemaster
Denver Clayton Lemaster Denver Clayton Lemaster Denver Clayton Lemaster (born (February 25, 1939 in Corona, California) was a Major League Baseball pitcher from 1962 to 1972 for the Milwaukee Braves, Atlanta Braves, Houston Astros, and Montreal Expos. During his decade-long career, LeMaster won 90...
of the Milwaukee Braves. After spending all of in the minors, Brand was selected by the Houston Colt .45s in the 1964 rule 5 draft.
Houston Astros
In , the Colt .45s moved into their new domed stadium team owner Judge Roy HofheinzRoy Hofheinz
Roy Mark Hofheinz , popularly known as Judge Hofheinz or "The Judge", was State Representative from 1934 to 1936, County Judge of Harris County, Texas from 1936 to 1944, and mayor of the city of Houston, Texas from 1953 to 1955.-Biography:A flamboyant and successful orator, broadcaster, developer...
dubbed the Astrodome (named in honor of Houston's importance to the country's space program). To match with the meaning of the name, the Colt .45s were renamed the Astros.
John Bateman was the opening day starting catcher in 1965, however, he soon lost his starting job to Brand. On August 18, Brand hit his second home run of the season, and the third of his career. He never hit another major league home run.
In , Bateman won back the starting catcher job, and Brand became the back-up. They split catching duties pretty evenly in , but Brand began the season with the Astros' Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
triple A affiliate, the Oklahoma City 89ers, and only appeared in 29 games behind the plate for the Astros.
Montreal Expos
On October 14, 1968, Bateman was drafted by the Montreal ExposMontreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
as the sixth overall pick in the 1968 Major League Baseball expansion draft
1968 Major League Baseball expansion draft
The 1968 Major League Baseball expansion draft was conducted to stock up the rosters of four expansion teams in Major League Baseball which would begin play in the 1969 season....
; 52 picks later, the Expos selected Brand, and the two resumed their platoon in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
.
This platoon only lasted one season as in Brand assumed more of a utility infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
role. In , Brand only caught two innings, however, made 22 appearances at shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
. He spent all of with the Expos' triple A affiliate, the Peninsula Whips, and was released at the end of the season. He joined the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
in , and spent the entire season in Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield is a city near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley in Kern County, California. It is roughly equidistant between Fresno and Los Angeles, to the north and south respectively....
as player/manager of their California League
California League
The California League is a Class A Advanced minor league baseball league which operates throughout the state of California. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High-A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
affiliate before retiring.